Chapter 391
Chapter 391:
The cry burst through the silence and flooded the room with relief. My eyes moved across the space, taking in the familiar faces gathered around me. The closest was Ryder — his expression a storm of fury, anguish, and overwhelming relief all at once. Beside him stood Enzo, his usual air of arrogance entirely replaced by quiet, unguarded worry. Isabelle was nearby, her hands clasped against her chest as though she had been mid-prayer when my eyes opened.
Then I saw Aiden, Ruby, my mother, Kade, and my father.
Seeing him was like a cold splash of water. The memories came rushing back all at once, colliding in a chaotic torrent. The conversation with Ruby. My father’s message. The dark room. The fight with my uncle. The victory. And then — how had I gotten out?
I pushed myself upright slowly, every muscle protesting the effort. Ryder’s hand found my shoulder immediately, steadying me. “Easy,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re safe now p>
Safe. The word felt strange, almost hollow after everything that had happened. My gaze drifted to my father, and the memories sharpened further.
“Dad,” I murmured, my voice rough.
He stepped forward, and the stoic mask he usually wore had slipped into something that looked almost like vulnerability. His eyes were soft — as though he were quietly asking for forgiveness.
“Jasmine,” he began, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He swallowed hard, looking at me as though he wasn’t certain I would hear him out.
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“No,” I interrupted, my tone steadier now. The room went still, every pair of eyes turning to me. “Don’t try to justify it, Dad. You sent me there knowing what was waiting. You put me in danger. You knew I was pregnant, and still you—” My voice broke. The betrayal cut deeper than I wanted to admit.
“I know,” he whispered, his shoulders sinking. “I’m sorry, Jasmine. I never wanted it to go that way. But only you could end it. Your uncle was a narcissist, consumed by his own power. He never saw his downfall coming because he was too convinced of his own invincibility p>
I held his gaze, turning his words over in my mind. They were a weak attempt at justification — and they didn’t erase the danger he had put me in. And yet I couldn’t ignore the truth buried inside them. My uncle had been a monster, a threat not only to me but to everyone I loved. And now he was gone.
“You told me to trust my instincts,” I said quietly, my voice unsteady. “To trust my wolf. To trust the child of the prophecy p>
“And you did,” my father answered, without looking away. “You accomplished what I never could. You finished it, Jasmine. You are far stronger than I ever was p>
I didn’t have an answer for that. I turned instead to Ryder — my anchor in the middle of all this. He had held back, giving me the space to process everything, but now his expression turned serious.
“You will never do anything like that again,” he said, low and measured.